Chair backrest reclining assembly

ABSTRACT

A reclining chair backrest including a pair of supports adapted to be mounted on a chair frame. These supports are provided with plates rotatable between a first position in which a back frame connected thereto is releasably maintained in a generally upright position and a second position in which said backrest is releasably maintained in a reclining position.

United States Patent 1 91 Lay Dec. 3, 1974 CHAIR BACKREST RECLINING ASSEMBLY 2,798,730 7/1957 Smith 280/36 B 2,947,351 8/1960 Maclsaac 297/357 [75] inventor Ralph Lay/ Columbus 3,076,628 2/1963 Smith et al 297/357 x [73] Assignee: Cosco, Inc., Columbus, Ohio Primary ExaminerFrancis K. Zugel [22] Flled 1973 Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Trask, Jenkins & Hanley [21] Appl. No.: 406,084

[57] ABSTRACT [52] U.S. Cl. 297/357 A ning h ir b kr s in l ing a p ir f upp r [51] Int. Cl. A47c 1/026 p ed e m n ed n a ch ir fram The p- [58] Field of Search 297/357, 354, 355; p r ar provi with plates r atabl twe n a firs 280/36 B position in which a back frame connected thereto is releasably maintained in a generally upright position [56] References Cited and a second position in which said backrest is releas- UNITED STATES PATENTS ably maintained in a reclining position 1,294,378 2/1919 Barnes 297/357 X 5 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures PATENIELDEC 31914 3851318 SHEETIUF 2 PAIENTELUEE 3,851,918 SHEET 20$ 2 1 I CHAIR BACKREST RECLINING ASSEMBLY BACKGROUND or THE INVENTION Reclining backrest structures for use on various types of chair products are well known in the art. These reclining mechanisms have taken many forms, and include for example telescoping frames to which the backrest is connected as shown in US. Pat. No. 3,142,512, linkage assemblies as shown in US. Pat. No. 3,063,729, and the like. Many of these structures, however, require that the reclining mechanism be connected to a particular type of chair or seat frame.

It is an object of this invention to provide a reclining chair back assembly which can be economically manufactured and assembled, which can be mounted on different types of chair or seat frames, which will be releasably retained in its different positions of adjustment, and which can be easily manipulated into its different positions of adjustment.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In accordance with the preferred form of the invention, there is provided a pair of backrest supports mountable on the opposite sides of a chair frame. Each of said supports comprises a central plate connected to said frame. Inner and outer plates are rotatably connected to said central plate on opposite sides thereof by fastening elements extending through a pair of arcuate slots formed in said central plate.

The backrest includes a pair of arms which are connected to the supports. The lower portion of each of said arms is received between the inner and central plates of its associated support. A finger projects outwardly from said lower arm portion through a slot in the central plate and is received in an offset in the outer plate. The finger is slidably carried in said slot which has a generally vertical leg and a generally horizontal leg. Thus, with the finger disposed in the vertical leg, the back frame willbe retained in a generally upright position. When the finger is moved upwardly in the slot and in the outer plate offset, the backrest can be rotated with the inner and outer plates rotating with respect to the central plate to dispose the finger in the horizontally disposed leg ofthe central plate slot so that the back frame is retained in a reclining position.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The accompanying drawings illustrate the invention. In such Drawings:

FIG. I is a perspective view of an infants chair having a backrest recliner assembly embodying the invention mounted thereon;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevation of one of the supports shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a side elevation of the support shown in FIG. 2, but showing the opposite side thereof;

FIG. 4 is a vertical section taken on the line 44 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 5 is a vertical section taken on the line 5-5 of FIG. 4 with said mechanism in an upright supporting position in full line and in a reclining position in dotted line.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The chair back reclining mechanism comprising this invention is illustrated in FIG. 1 as being mounted on a chair frame 10 to permit the backrest 12 to be moved between a generally upright positionand a reclining position. As illustrated in the drawings, the mechanism is mounted on an infants walker chair.

The recliner mechanism comprises a pair of identical supports 14 mounted on each side of the frame 10. As

shown, each support comprises a central plate 15 having its upper end bent over frame 10, as at 16, and connected thereto by rivets 17. A pair of arcuate slots 18 are formed in plate 15. The slots are diametrically opposed to each other, have the same radius of curvature, and are equally radially spaced about a common center point or axis 20. In addition, a generally L-shaped slot 22 is formed in plate 15 in spaced relation to the slots 18. As shown, slot 22 is provided with a vertical stretch 23 integrally connected at its upper end with a generally horizontal forwardly projecting stretch 24.

Inner and outer plates 27 and 28 are rotatably connected to plate 15 by a pair of rivets 30 and 31 extending through and slidably carried in the central plate slots 18. As shown, outer plate 27 is provided with an elongated offset 32 adjacent its lower end. In a similar manner, plate 28 is provided with an elongated offset 34 extending between its top and bottom edges. As best shown in FIG. 4, the upper end of the offset 32 is closed, but the upper end of offset 34 isopen.

The backrest l2 is carried on a wire frame 36 formed from a pair of arms 39 interconnected at their upper ends by transverse stretch 40. The lower portions of each of the arms is received in the offset 34 of plate 28 and is thus retained between the plate 28 and the plate 15. An outwardly projecting finger 42 is formed on the lower end of each of arms 39 and projects outwardly through slot 22 in plate 15 for reception in the offset 32 of plate 27.

As shown in FIG. 5, when the backrest 12 is in its upright position, the fingers 42 on the frame arms 39 will be seated at the bottom of stretch 23 of the central plate slot 22 and the rivets 30 and 31 will be at the opposed ends of the slots 18 of plate 15 to thus releasably retain the back frame and the backrest in an upright position. When it is desired to move said back frame and backrest into a reclining position, the back frame is raised upwardly with the fingers 42 sliding upwardly in the vertical stretches 23 of slots 22 and in the plate offsets 32 until they are in alignment with the slot stretches 24, whereupon said fingers can be slid forwardly in the slot stretches 24 until they abut the forward ends thereof. Simultaneously with the movement of the fingers forwardly in the slot stretches 24, plates 27 and 28 will rotate with respect to plate 15 to dispose their rivets 30 and 31 at the opposite ends of the plate slots 18. With the rivets 30 and 31 abutting the opposed ends of the slots 18, the backrest 12 and its supporting frame 38 will be releasably retained in a reclining position.

I claim:

1. A chair backrest reclining assembly, comprising a pair of supports mounted on the opposed sides of a chair, each such support comprising a first plate mounted on said frame and having a generally L- shaped slot formed therein, second and third plates rotatably connected to said first plate on the opposite sides thereof; and a backrest frame having a pair of arms connected to said supports, each of the arms having its lower portion received between said first and second plates, and a linger on said lower portion slidably carried in said L-shaped slot and received in said third plate, said finger being movable in said L-shaped slot between a first position in which said back frame is in a generally upright position and a second. position in which said back frame is in a reclining position, said second and third plates rotating with respect to said first plate during movement of said back frame between said upright and reclining positions.

2. A chair backrest reclining assembly as set forth in claim 1 in which said second plate has an offset extending the length thereof for reception of said lower portion of said arm, and said third plate has an elongated offset in which said finger is slidably received.

3., A chair backrest reclining assembly, comprising a pair of supports mounted on the opposed sides of a chair, each such support comprising a first plate mounted on said frame and having a generally L- shaped slot and a pair of arcuate slots formed therein, second and third plates disposed on the opposite sides of said first plate, fastening means slidably carried in said arcuate slots and connected to said second and third plates; and a backrest frame having a pair of arms connected to said supports, each of the arms having its lower portion received between said first and second plates, and a finger on said lower portion slidably carried in said L-shaped slot and received in said third plate, said finger being movable in said L-shaped slot between a first position in which said back frame is in a generally upright position and a second position in which said back frame is in a reclining position, said fastening means permitting said second and third plates to rotate with respect to said first plate during movement of said back frame between said upright and reclining positions.

4. A chair backrest reclining assembly set forth in claim 3 in which said second plate has an offset extend ing the length thereof for reception of said lower por tion of said arm, and said third plate has an elongated offset in which said finger is slidably received.

5. A chair backrest reclining assembly as set forth in claim 3 in which said arcuate slots are equally radially spaced about a common axis, and said L-shaped slot has a generally vertically extending stretch interconnected to a generally horizontal forwardly extending 

1. A chair backrest reclining assembly, comprising a pair of supports mounted on the opposed sides of a chair, each such support comprising a first plate mounted on said frame and having a generally L-shaped slot formed therein, second and third plates rotatably connected to said first plate on the opposite sides thereof; and a backrest frame having a pair of arms connected to said supports, each of the arms having its lower portion received between said first and second plates, and a finger on said lower portion slidably carried in said L-shaped slot and received in said third plate, said finger being movable in said L-shaped slot between a first position in which said back frame is in a generally upright position and a second position in which said back frame is in a reclining position, said second and third plates rotating with respect to said first plate during movement of said back frame between said upright and reclining positions.
 2. A chair backrest reclining assembly as set forth in claim 1 in which said second plate has an offset extending the length thereof for reception of said Lower portion of said arm, and said third plate has an elongated offset in which said finger is slidably received.
 3. A chair backrest reclining assembly, comprising a pair of supports mounted on the opposed sides of a chair, each such support comprising a first plate mounted on said frame and having a generally L-shaped slot and a pair of arcuate slots formed therein, second and third plates disposed on the opposite sides of said first plate, fastening means slidably carried in said arcuate slots and connected to said second and third plates; and a backrest frame having a pair of arms connected to said supports, each of the arms having its lower portion received between said first and second plates, and a finger on said lower portion slidably carried in said L-shaped slot and received in said third plate, said finger being movable in said L-shaped slot between a first position in which said back frame is in a generally upright position and a second position in which said back frame is in a reclining position, said fastening means permitting said second and third plates to rotate with respect to said first plate during movement of said back frame between said upright and reclining positions.
 4. A chair backrest reclining assembly as set forth in claim 3 in which said second plate has an offset extending the length thereof for reception of said lower portion of said arm, and said third plate has an elongated offset in which said finger is slidably received.
 5. A chair backrest reclining assembly as set forth in claim 3 in which said arcuate slots are equally radially spaced about a common axis, and said L-shaped slot has a generally vertically extending stretch interconnected to a generally horizontal forwardly extending stretch. 